Anti-Bribery and Corruption Laws in Tunisia: A Struggle for Transparency and Accountability

Introduction

Tunisia, a country still recovering from the 2011 Arab Spring, has been working towards strengthening its anti-bribery and corruption laws. The government aims to improve transparency and accountability in public transactions, addressing concerns raised by international bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the European Union.

Progress Towards Anti-Corruption Efforts

Tunisia is set to be removed from the FATF’s blacklist of non-cooperative countries in the global fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. The country has implemented an action plan adopted in November 2017, which included measures to improve its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.

The European Union and Tunisia have signed an agreement to promote the economic, social, and political inclusion of young Tunisians. The EU has welcomed Tunisia’s progress in meeting international and European standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.

Challenges Persist

Despite progress, challenges remain:

• Two-thirds of asset declarations were not received by the Anti-Corruption Authority (INLUCC) at the end of 2018.
• Elected officials who do not comply with additional time limits may be subject to prosecution.
• Corruption remains a significant concern, with an estimated 2 billion dinars wasted on corruption every year in Tunisia.

Corrupt Activities and Consequences

Corruption costs Tunisia 2 billion dinars every year in public transactions. This sum could be used to build three airports, 20 ports, 70 high schools, or 500 kilometers of highways.

Tunisia has risen one place in the Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring 43 out of 100. While this progress is slow, it reflects the country’s efforts towards improving transparency and accountability.

Actions Taken by INLUCC

The National Anti-Corruption Authority (INLUCC) has received 1,200 asset declarations out of 350,000 persons required to disclose their assets under the Law on Asset Declarations. INLUCC’s President Chawki Tabib has underscored the need to enforce governance and anti-corruption legislation in the face of lobbies seeking to impede its enforcement.

Conclusion

Tunisia’s efforts demonstrate a commitment to strengthening its anti-bribery and corruption laws, but there is still much work to be done to address the challenges facing the country. Addressing these issues will require sustained efforts from government officials, civil society organizations, and international partners to promote transparency and accountability in public transactions.